Security systems are known for use on the outbreak of fire, on the occurrence of extreme smoke development, on break-in attempts and in various other situations. In many cases, the known systems have employed, for example, manually releasable detectors or detectors which are released by automatic sensing of movement, smoke development, heat development, and the like. The detectors can for their part release on actuation light and/or sound alarms locally and/or at more remotely disposed locations, or they can emit another signal to a central control or signal for the release of sprinkler devices or the like. Such known systems have, however, been burdened with certain deficiencies and have in many instances been found to be inadequate, especially when concerned with saving human lives under difficult conditions.
Especially in connection with high buildings and particularly in upper and central regions of high buildings, but also in other connections, difficult conditions can arise, for example by a combination of the development of heavy smoke, lack of light on power failures and blocked escape routes. It has been found, especially in connection with hotel fires, that smoke poisoning has been a significant cause of death. In spite of the extensive use of supposedly safe warning and rescue systems, there have occurred quite recently a number of deaths, which probably could have been avoided by the use of better suited equipment and a better system.
Under special conditions, for example on board offshore installations, it is usual that brochures are available in all rooms/cabins on how the security system functions together with how the user of the room and the room guest shall conduct themselves when necessary to put into use a breathing mask or other equipment for example, stored in a room box. In addition, there is present on each breathing mask proper use instructions for the mask. On the inside of the room box which includes such equipment there are found instructions/use instructions in self-lighting (fluorescent) script. Under such special conditions, there is a possibility of keeping such a security system in order, but one has no complete guarantee that the equipment is in position and is ready for use on each occasion. Under certain conditions one can risk that the equipment is stolen, destroyed or is handled in another way in an undesirable manner, so that the equipment is unavailable in a catastrophic situation. In all instances one does not have an adequate general view or control over each individual breathing mask for every occasion.
In practice, it is also difficult in connection with a current rescue operation, in a catastrophic situation or at the beginning of such a situation, to maintain a general view and control- over where each individual user of the room is located in the current case, that is whether those present are in place in the room or are located at another spot or whether the various rooms are wholly in use. During a rescue operation, there is a need to have the best possible general view in advance, that is prior to carrying out the rescue operation, both as to which rooms contain users and/or guests and as to the condition of the equipment which is to be found in the relevant rooms.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a system that can enable a central operator to continuously monitor the presence and condition of safety equipment (like breathing masks) contained in room boxes in separate rooms of a building.
It is another object of the invention to be able to immediately detect missing or damaged safety equipment in a room and to provide for immediate replacement. In case of an emergency situation, one can therefore be sure that the safety equipment is available for the persons in the room, and that the equipment can be used by the persons in order to avoid smoke poisoning when they are moving within smoke filled areas.
It is another object of the invention, in case of an emergency situation, to enable a central operator to give alarms and messages directly to each room or to groups of rooms, and to receive acknowledgements from the persons in the rooms, and thus reduce the risk for panic and enlarge the possibility of carrying out an effective rescue operation.
It is another object of the invention, in case of an emergency situation, to give rescue crew a real time instant survey of the situation, and information about the presence and the condition of persons in the various rooms, and thus act as a decision tool for the rescue leader.
It is another object of the invention, at any time, and especially after a disaster, to provide a chronologic list of the recorded events, thus providing information that can help investigators to reconstruct the progress of the disaster afterwards.